Team Nigeria capped off their dominance of the athletics event at the 2023 African Games in Ghana in style on Friday by winning two gold, two silver and two bronze medals on the last day of the event.
Chinecherem Nnamdi set a new national record to win gold in the men’s javelin event just as quartet Esther Joseph, Patience Okon-George, Brittany Ogunmokun and Omolara Ogunmakinju also stormed to gold in the women’s 4x400m final.
The two silver medals were won by Olayinka Olajide (women’s 200m) and Sade Olatoye (women’s shot put) while Consider Ekanem claimed his first international individual medal by winning bronze in the men’s 200m just as the men’s 4x400m relay quartet also settled for bronze.
Their performances on the final day of the event took Nigeria’s tally in athletics to 11 gold, six silver and four bronze, totalling 21 medals.
Olajide’s silver was the first of the day for Team Nigeria as she ran a new personal best of 23.18s (-2.6) to finish second behind 100m champion Gina Bass, who won in 23.14s. Having won bronze in the 100m and gold in the women’s 4X100m relay, Olajide has now won a complete set of medals at the 2023 Games.
After missing out on an individual medal in the men’s 100m, Consider took a consolation in the men’s 200m, giving it all to win bronze with a time of 20.80s (-2.8). It’s his first international individual medal for Nigeria, having also won gold with the men’s 4x100m relay quartet on Wednesday.
After Olatoye had won her bronze in the shot put, Nnamdi broke his own national record to win gold in the men’s javelin event. His new record of 82.80m was landed in his first attempt, which no other athlete, including 2016 Olympic silver medallist, Julius Yego, could match as the Kenyan settled for second.
The women’s 4x400m relay gold then followed with a time of 3:27.29. The men’s team of Emmanuel Ojeli, Samson Nathaniel, Adeyemi Sikiru and Chidi Okezie produced Nigeria’s fastest time in the event since 2004, (3:01.84) but it was only good enough for bronze. Gambia won the race with a Games record of 2:59.12.
The closest country to Nigeria in the athletics table is Ethiopia, who had seven gold, seven silver and four bronze medals, while third-place South Africa are third with seven gold, one silver and three bronze
medals.
Meanwhile, The Ministry of Sports Development on Friday said it had begun payments of athletes and officials camp allowances and bonuses for winning medals at the 13th African Games, which ends in Ghana on Saturday (today).
“Today the 22nd of March, the athletes started receiving their camp allowances”, sports minister’s aide Diana-Mary Nsan said in a statement on Friday.
“A lot of athletes had doubts and fears but the trust and confidence has been restored.
“Athletes who won medals will also get their bonuses. Find attached bonuses for individual, doubles and team sports medal winners”.
According to the attached statement, individual gold, silver and bronze medallists will get $3000, $2000 and $1000 respectively, while doubles gold, silver and bronze winners are entitled to $5000, $3000 and $1500 respectively.
Also, gold, silver and bronze medallists in team sports of up to six athletes are to receive $6000, $4000 and $3000 respectively.
Gold, silver and bronze medallists in team sports with 12 athletes and above will get $12000, $7000 and $5000.
Coaches whose athletes or teams won gold, silver and bronze medals were rewarded with $5000, $2500 and $1500 respectively.
